WINDOWS TIPSBY: GURU ( DAVE SMITH )

Making The Most Of
Your Computer's Memory

You depend on your memory to perform even the most basic of
life's functions such as getting to work, accessing your bank account, calling
your mother. The memory of your computer is just as essential to your computer
as your personal memory is to you. You don't have to be an expert to make the
most of your computer's greatest asset.

Understanding Memory Technology Keywords Take a look at some
key terms that are essential to understanding your

computer's memory.

Whether you want to make sure your files and applications
aren't deleted or moved, restrict some areas of the Web for your children's
safety or keep your email correspondence private, consider setting up your
computer to support multiple users. And, even if you don't share your PC,you may still decide to configure multiple
accounts to keep yourself

organized. We'll take a look at what can be customized,
including your operating system, Internet browser and email applications.

SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory)
is the little guy that does all the memory work. Its architecture allows it to
deal with bursts of data that are marching to the beat of the system clock's
drummer.

Data is sent one time per cycle to the Central Processing
Unit (CPU). This timing feature allows for fast reading and writing. The SDRAM
transfers chunks of data instead of bit by bit. Do not mix SDRAMs with other
kinds of memory, such as RDRAM, that are not designed for interaction with the
SDRAM.

Real Memory is the physical memory located on
the chipset. It is yourPC's capacity
to remember information. Usually the real memory is the memory feature that is
most often referred to in computer specifications(e.g. 64 MB of SDRAM).

Virtual Memory is basically a big fake out. It
makes your PC believe that it has even more memory when actually the amount of
memory has not increased. Virtual memory, which is located on the hard drive
instead ofin a memory chip, isn't as
fast as physical or real memory. Its primary function is to help complicated
software applications, such as Internet browsers, run properly. Hint: Don't
turn off your virtual memory. If youare looking to upgrade memory, don't look to the virtual memory;
upgradeyour real memory.

Upgrading and Installing Memory

The best advice for buying memory is to begin by doing some
research. This area of technology is fast-paced and is always improving. It is
not worth it to spend a lot of money on memory that is already out of date. For
example, the new DDR memory is available at the same price asSDRAM. DDR is a vast improvement over SDRAM,
so why buy

SDRAM if you can get twice as much memory with DDR--for the
same price?

Do not invest in memory that isn't compatible with your
computer or isn't designed to interact with other forms of already installed
memory (if that's the case). You can find out what types of memory are
compatible with your PC by contacting your PC's manufacturer or by referring to
your owner's manual. Also, most manufacturers' websites have detailed
information about purchasing and installing additional memory. .

If you are using your computer for video game play
frequently, upgrade the V-RAM, or Video RAM. In short, regular computer memory
cannot maintain enough of a charge to run video-enabled applications. Also, pay
attention to the amount of memory that your computer can cache(or put in its briefcase of temporary
files). If you install more memorythan
your computer can cache, the upgrade will actually decreaseperformance.

Once you have bought extra RAM, be sure to speak to your
vendor (or the manufacturer, if you purchased your machine directly) for advice
on howto install it.

Symptoms and Causes of Memory MalfunctionsMemory problems result from two causes:
aging systems and memoryupdates or
upgrades.

Common symptoms of a memory problem are:

"The blue screen of death," which usually freezes
the computer andrequires you to
re-boot. The "blue screen" is actually a system alert, informing you
of a memory failure..

You have booted up, but there is no video input (e.g. the
screen is black and everything is plugged in properly).

Your PC will not boot up

Your PC refuses to load your operating system, e.g. Windows

Your operating system is malfunctioning or blacks out
completely.

Your PC keeps beeping upon boot-up. Pay attention to the
number ofbeeps. That's the computers
way of telling youwhat is wrong
withthe memory. Write down the number
of beeps, in case you need totell a
repair technician

Your PC counts RAM infinitely at start-up

Your PC enters a vicious boot-up cycle; just as it finishes
bootingup, it starts the process over
again

Memory Diagnostics and Preventative Maintenance

Computer applications, such as Norton SystemWorks, can help
you to prevent and repair some computer memory problems.

For instance, Windows 95/98/MEcreates a special file on your hard drivecalled a swap file. This file is used to
create additional memory so your Windows programs can make maximum use of
available systemresources. The size of
the swap file changes dynamically in response to demand for memory space. This
can cause significant fragmentation of the swap file, which in turn reduces
performance. Norton Optimization

Easy Solutions: Physical Memory Parts

Sometimes, your computer's memory problems may be resolved
or avoided by regularly checking and cleaning the physical parts of your
computer's memory.

Housecleaning: Are the sockets that hold your memory
clean?These contacts do get dirty,
which could cause degraded memory performance. Get rid of dust and other debris
that could be causingbad connections,
thus inhibiting your memory's performance. Acotton swab can do the trick. Contact a computer technician for
additional cleaning advice.

Bad Vibration: Memory modules vibrate in their
sockets and, in time, they can become dislodged. Make sure that the memorymodules are fitted properly in their
sockets..

Inspection: Inspect memory sockets and the memory modules
carefully, checking for any broken or burnt parts. If something is broken, it
may be able to be glued back together instead of being replaced with expensive
new parts. Make sure the glue is "plastic-safe." Contact a computer
technician for assistance.

Surge Protection: Stop what you are doing
right now! Go and plugyour PC into a
surge protector. Power surges are lethal to computer memory. It is easy to
prevent a power surge from damaging yourcomputer, but it is not so easy to fix a problem caused by a power
surge.

When All Else Fails: See a Professional

If none of the above works to improve your computer's
memoryperformance, take your computer
to a computer repair center or consultyour dealer or computer brand website for suggestions. Memory is the
backbone of your computer. When you optimize your memory'sperformance, you'll optimize the performance
of your entire machine.